Explorations radiologiques en odontostomatologie Dosimétrie et estimation du risque

Abstract

Dental radiodiagnosis represents more of half the radiological acts in industrialized countries, but a small part of x-ray exposure owing to the small quantity of x-rays delivered by each act. The main risk attributed to this activity is the long-term induction of cancers; however, there is no teratogenic or genetic risks due to the insignificance of doses delivered to uterus and gonads. Concerning the risk of cancer due to low doses of radiation, epidemiologic data are not convincing but the international authorities endorse a model of calculation of risk extrapolated from the effects of high doses, in the form of a linear relation without threshold, which does not underestimate the risk. Assessment and mention on the report of the dose delivered by any radiological examination are henceforth mandatory according to the code of public health, by the transposition of the Euratom 97/43 directive. The doses usually delivered for dental radiodiagnosis examinations are indicated and the potential effects of these doses put in prospect. Complying with the principles of justification and optimization makes it possible to serenely perform dental radiodiagnosis.